360 LORD ODO RUSSELL

belongs to Lord Rosebery, an undersecretary of state, and
son-in-law of Rothschild, should lend itself to the publication,
even under all reserve, of a rumour which is either intended
to cause a fall on the Stock Exchange, or to embitter the British
public against Germany as a disturber of the peace."

Franco-German relations became tenser towards the end of
the year 1883, but Bismarck avoided any appearance of exploit-
ing them. In October occurred the significant incident of the
insult to the King of Spain in Paris after his visit to Germany,
where he had been made colonel of a regiment stationed at
Strassburg. Before remonstrating the Spanish Government
invited Bismarck to associate the German Government with the
protest, but the Chancellor, while agreeing that an insult to
Germany was intended, and thanking the Spanish Government
for the invitation, intimated that this particular incident was
only characteristic, and that he did not intend to give the
French Press an opening for fresh recriminations.1 But Germany
was far from ignoring the insult. A return visit of the Crown
Prince to the King of Spain was ostentatiously announced,
and he travelled by a circuitous route to avoid France. In
Spain itself there was some apprehension about the visit—
lest Bismarck should exploit the occasion to draw her into the
orbit of German politics. Sir Robert Morier's account of the
festivities, and of the effect produced upon public opinion was
sent to Lord Ampthill, who saw in it his own impressions
of the good effect the visit would produce, confirmed.2

Lord Ampthill was indeed more and more impressed with
Bismarck's obvious anxiety not to be drawn into a war, and
when the Spanish Ambassador, clearly expecting a sympathetic
hearing, complained about French activities in Morocco, he
was received with great reticence by Count Hatzfeldt. Lord
Ampthill, in the course of private conversation a few days
later, inquired about the significance of the matter of the
French Ambassador, who smilingly replied: "Many idle tales
had been put in circulation by the Spaniards, whose wish to
establish an excuse for interference in Morocco had been
much encouraged by the 'friendly advances* made to Spain
by Prince Bismarck,"3

*FX). 64. 1027. No. 291,

*F.O* 64. 7049. No. 3. To Lord Granville, 3 January *8$4*

*Ibid. No. 76, Secret. 23 March 1884.